Michelle Xia
Chinese billionaire businesswoman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Early life and education
Xia was born in Gansu province.[4] She is the daughter of two university-educated engineers.[1]
She earned a degree in biochemistry from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou in 1988, and a doctorate in molecular biology and microbiology from Newcastle University in the UK.[1] She also undertook postgraduate study at the University of Glasgow.[5] In 1996, she moved to the United States to conduct cancer research at the University of Louisville.[1]
Career
Xia co‑founded Akeso in 2012 and has served as chairwoman, president and CEO since inception.[2] The company listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in April 2020.[3] Earlier in her career she held scientific or leadership roles at Crown Bioscience, PDL BioPharma, and Bayer.[6] Since 2023, she has served on the board of Summit Therapeutics.[7]
Under Xia, Akeso have developed Ivonescimab, which appears to outperform Pembrolizumab (marketed as Keytruda), produced by Merck in the US.[4]
In March 2025, she was included in the "TIME100 Health" list.[8]
As of July 2025, Forbes estimates her net worth at US$1.2 billion.[1]